Llewellyn Worldwide, Ltd.
View your shopping cart Shopping Cart | My Account | Help | Become a Fan on Facebook Become a Fan | Follow Us on Twitter Follow Us | Watch Us on YouTube Watch Us | Subscribe to our RSS Feeds Subscribe
Browse ProductsAuthorsArticlesBlogsEncyclopediaNewslettersAffiliate ProgramContact UsBooksellers
Advanced Search
LLEWELLYN JOURNAL
Article Topics
List of Articles
RSS Data Feeds
Mission Statement
Use of Our Articles
Writers' Guidelines

Email Exclusives
Sign up to receive special offers and promotions from Llewellyn.

Get the Latest Issue of New Worlds

New Worlds Spring/Summer 2013 Issue

New Worlds Catalog

Get the FREE app for your tablet and mobile device. Now available in the iTunes Store and the Google Play Store

Also available as a PDF File.

Click for more information about New Worlds or to receive issues via mail.


The Llewellyn Journal
Print this Article Print this Article

Taking a Spirit Break

This article was written by Llewellyn
posted under Pagan

You take coffee breaks; why not take a break from work to refresh your spirit?

One of the major illusions of modern life is that we are our jobs. It isn’t so. We are not our jobs, we are spirits embodied in flesh that perform useful functions in the world. In the Middle Ages, people were born into classes and guilds, and followed their parents into the family trade. They thought they were their “class.” Today, not only can we choose our careers, but most of us will have several different careers over the course of our lifetimes.

Jobs can be deadly or fulfilling. As our spirits grow and change, it is not the new job that changes our destiny, but we ourselves who look for work that will serve the needs of the people we are becoming. But even the best job has moments of drudgery that weigh down the spirit. You can renew your enthusiasm for a good job, and your endurance for a bad one, by taking a “spirit break.”

When your blood sugar is lowest–say, around three o’clock in the afternoon–put down your work. Set your computer on “sleep” and turn off whatever machines you may be using. (Even factories are required to give workers break times at regular intervals.) Open a window or go outside where you can get some fresh air.

Begin by breathing deeply, in and out. Pay attention to the flow of air in and out of your lungs. As you inhale, imagine that you are taking in energy from the universe. When you exhale, give your wastes back to the universe to be recycled. As you breathe, remind yourself that without life-giving oxygen, you will lose consciousness, and all the processes in your body will cease.

Thinking about death wakes you up to what’s important in life. Follow the progress of your breath in and out with reverence–such a small and automatic action that makes so great a difference! Appreciate the fragility of life, and the beauty.

If you have privacy, you can chant the following prayer to the winds; otherwise, say it silently:
I, [name], am calling on the winds,
One the winds of change
One the northern wind
Called Nemere
The bringer of souls
Opener of wombs!
Dearest directions,
Send me lucky winds
To blow my body clean with your breath,
And let me walk in health, wealth, and wisdom. Blessed be!

Now that your blood has been re-oxygenated, have a cup of tea. Use a special cup, one whose shape and texture give you pleasure, not paper or (shudder) styrofoam. Choose jasmine or rose hip tea. Jasmine is aromatic and energizing–it was used by the ancients to counter depression–and rose hip tea is both nutritional and esoteric. When you drink it, you are drinking in the heart of the rose, a symbol of the beauty, life, and wisdom of the Goddess. By drinking its tea, you infuse your body with its magic and get a good shot of Vitamin C as well. This whole process will take about ten minutes, and when you are done you will feel totally rejuvenated.

From Summoning the Fates, by Zsuzsanna E. Budapest


RELATED PRODUCTS

By Land, Sky & Sea
By Land, Sky & Sea
Three Realms of Shamanic Witchcraft
Gede Parma
$16.95 | Add to Cart
Crafting Wiccan Traditions
Crafting Wiccan Traditions
Creating a Foundation for Your Spiritual Beliefs & Practices
Raven Grimassi
$15.95 | Add to Cart
The Way of Four
The Way of Four
Create Elemental Balance in Your Life
Deborah Lipp
$23.95 | Add to Cart

Please note that the use of Llewellyn Journal articles
is subject to certain Terms and Conditions

Whatever your background is, it's bound to happen to you: the scary paranormal case. We're not talking about your run-of-the-mill haunting here. We're talking portal hauntings, negative entities, and bad earthbound spirits—in a nutshell, things that scare us! These cases usually start out as a seemingly routine investigation; then, somewhere... read this article
Evolutionary Astrology: How Our Nodal Axis Defines the Soul's Path
The Mibramig Magical Tarot
Cultivating Bliss: 4 Ways to Explore Your Inner Garden
Exercise: Asking for a Dream Visit from a Loved One in Spirit
The Final Secrets of Enochian Magick

Most recent posts:
Fairy Lights Tarot
The Fairy Lights Tarot was created in an interesting way. The artist made paintings that were scenes containing two cards. The scenes were then split...

Sun Enters Gemini 2013: Forecast for the Year Ahead
Gemini, The Twins May 20 to June 20 Modality: Mutable Element: Air Ruler: Mercury Keywords: Versatile, charming, engaging, witty, restless,...

Thomas Edison: Ghost Hunter?
Readers, please enjoy this guest blog post by Rich Newman, author of The Ghost Hunter's Field Guide, Ghost Hunting for Beginners, and the new Devil...





Llewellyn's 2013 Moon Sign Book Llewellyn's 2013 Moon Sign Book
Conscious Living by the Cycles of the Moon

By: Llewellyn
Price: $10.99 $5.50 On Sale!
Llewellyn's 2013 Witches' Datebook Llewellyn's 2013 Witches' Datebook
By: Llewellyn
Price: $10.99 $5.50 On Sale!
Llewellyn's 2013 Witches' Calendar Llewellyn's 2013 Witches' Calendar
By: Llewellyn
Price: $13.99 $7.00 On Sale!
Llewellyn's 2013 Magical Almanac Llewellyn's 2013 Magical Almanac
Practical Magic for Everyday Living

By: Llewellyn
Price: $10.99 $5.50 On Sale!
Llewellyn's 2013 Astrological Calendar Llewellyn's 2013 Astrological Calendar
Horoscopes for You Plus an Introduction to Astrology

By: Llewellyn
Price: $13.99 $7.00 On Sale!